CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION ISSUES CEASE AND DESIST ORDER AGAINST TICKET SELLER

Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has issued a cease and desist order requiring a seller of concert and airline tickets to pay restitution to consumers and to stop selling goods and services in Maryland. Peter Toronto of Curtis Bay, Maryland collected payments from consumers for airline tickets and concert tickets but, after getting paid, did not provide the promised tickets.

The Consumer Protection Division determined that Toronto violated the Maryland Consumer Protection Act by selling tickets that he failed to provide and by failing to refund customers’ payments. The Division’s cease and desist order immediately bars Mr. Toronto from accepting advance payments from consumers and orders Mr. Toronto to immediately stop selling goods or services to Maryland consumers unless he provides the Division a $20,000 performance bond, letter of credit, or cash deposit. Mr. Toronto has 30 days to request a hearing to challenge the Division’s order. The Division also ordered Mr. Toronto to return all of the money he took from consumers for tickets or other goods or services that he did not provide. The Division found that ten consumers are owed at least $19,956.00.

Consumers who purchased, but did not receive goods or services from Peter Toronto should call the Consumer Protection Division at 410-576-6569 or write to the Consumer Protection Division at 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202.